Gate fastener



*March 7, 1-961 C. R. LAMPHIER GATE FASTENER Filed Oct. 10, 1958 INVENTOR. CHmzLEs 2. LPMPHIEZ ATTOQNEYS United States Patent GATE FASTENER Charles R. Lamphier, Rte. 1, Sidney, Mont. Filed Oct. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 766,566

' 2 Claims. (or. 39-74 This invention is directed generally to improvements in gate fasteners, andmore specifically, to an improved gate fastener for use in association with gates of the' flexible or non-rigid type commonlyknown as wire gates.

One objective of the present invention is to provide a gate fastener of the class described above which is neat in appearance and which, at the same time, enables the gate to be secured to its associated fence with a minimum of effort on the part of the user.

Another objective is the provision of a fastener for wire gates wherein the fastener has a safety lock means which functions to prevent the accidental or inadvertent displacement of the fastener by livestock or the like.

Still another object resides in the provision of a gate fastener for use in cooperative association with a second strap type fastener element to effect connection of a wire" gate to a terminal fence post.

A further object is the provision, in a gate fastener per se, of means for adjusting the maximum longitudinal size thereof in order to compensate for a stretching of the wire gate.

. Additional objects are the provision of a gate fastener of the class described above, the fastener being non-complex in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture, durable in use, and easily installed.

Numerous additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a section of fence and a wire gate having a gate fastener constructed and assembled in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention operably connected thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the gate fastener of this invention, the view showing a fragment .of the fence and gate of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is another side elevational view similar to that shown in Figure 2, but illustrating an intermediate position of the fastener during the opening or closing thereof; and r V Figure 4 is a transverse, detaiL-cross-sectional view taken substantially along the horizontal plane of the line 4--4 of Figure 2, looking in the directionof the arrows.

Proceeding now to a more specific description of an exemplary embodiment of this invention, general reference character denotes a wire fence of the type now commonly in use in many agricultural areas'for the purpose of fencing livestock, or the like. The fence 10 is supplied with a wire gate 12 described more fully below,

and a terminal fence post or stake 14 formed of anysuitable material but shown here as wooden. The post or stake 14 is embedded in the ground by driving therein the pointed end 16. The fence 10 also includes a plurality of strand wire elements 18 suitably secured to the post 14, V as by loops 20.

The gate 12 also has a terminal end element 22 formed of any suitable elongated stock to which a plurality of wire strands 24 forming a part of the gate are secured. The other ends (not shown) of the wire strands 24 are secured to another terminal fence post, building side, or other suitable surface, and are pivotal therefrom.

An endless strap 28 is secured to the terminal post or stake '14 by means of a staple 30 at a point between the ground and the lowermost one of the strand wires 18, as seen in Figure l. The purpose of the strap 28 appears in more detail below. 7

Reference numeral 32 has been utilized to generally identify a gate fastener constructed within the spirit of this invention. The fastener 32 includes a substantially U-shaped yoke 34 having a bight portion 36 and a pair of confronting arms 38, 44), each supplied with'an opening 41, 43, respectively, formed therein and the outer ends of which have apertured inwardly bent lips 42, 44, respectively, whereby wood screws 46, 48 are passed therethrough for pivotal connection of the yoke 34 adjacent the upper end of the terminal post 14. In Figure 4 it is seen that the openings 41 and 43 are in substantially coaxial alignment with respect to one another. At this point, it is also to be noted that the inward bending of the lips 42, 44 allows the outer end of the heads of the wood screws to be substantially coplanar with the outer sides of the arms 38, 40.

Projecting radially outward from the bight 36 of yoke 34 is a substantially rectangular lever bar 5i) having an integrally formed foot 52 depending from the outer end thereof. The foot 52 has a reverted outer end 54 forming a hook for releasable engagement with the uppermost one of the wire strands 18 in order to prevent the accidental or inadvertent displacement of the yoke 34 by livestock, or the like. The mode of connection can best be seen in Figure 2.

A U-shaped latch strap 56 includes an arcuate bight 58, outwardly pronged arms 60, 62 and confronting arm extensions 64, 66, respectively, of the arms. It is to be noted that the aforesaid arm extensions each have a plurality of apertures 68 formed therein, and that each of the apertures of the extension 64 are in coaxial alignment with a corresponding one of the apertures in the extension 66. It is by means of these apertures that the strap 56 is pivotally secured to the yoke 34, pivot bolts and nuts 70 being utilized by passing same through a selected pair of the apertures 68 and through the openings 41 and 43 formed in the arms 38 and 40 of the yoke 34.

In operation, the wire gate 12 is pivotally mounted as hereinbefore described, and when connection thereof with the fence 10 is desired the gate is pivoted to a position wherein the terminal member 22 thereof is adjacent the terminal post 14 of the fence It). The lower end of the terminal member 22 is then manually positioned inside the wire strap 28, thus placing the lowermost of the wire strands 24 of the gate under tension, but leaving the upper strands relatively slack. The gate fastener 32 is then utilized by swinging the strap 56 around the terminal member 22 as shown in Figure :3, the yoke 34 being in the substantially perpendicular relationship therewith as shown in that figure. The yoke 34 is then pivoted in the direction of the strands 18 and the hook formed by the reverted portion 54 of the foot 52 is engaged around the uppermost one of the strands 18, as seen in Figure 2, thus locking the fastener from accidental or inadvertent displacement. The tension on the upper strand 24 of the gate 12 is thus substantially equated with the tension on the lower strand, and the gate 12 secured to the fence 10.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that this invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a fence having a fixed post and a horizontal element extending from one side thereof, a swingable gate located at the opposite side of the fence post, said gate having a post on its free end located close to the fence post, a U-shaped yoke having a bight portion said legs being pivoted to opposite 'sidesof the fence post, a U-shaped band having a bight portion engaged around the gate post and legs extend at opposite sides of the fence post, the band legs having free ends pivoted to the and legs having free ends, said bight portion being posi- 5 yoke legs at points intermediate the yoke bight portion tioned at and spaced from said one side of the fence post, said legs being pivoted to opposite-sides of the fence post,

a U-shaped band having a bight portion engaged around 3 the gate post and legs extend at opposite sides of the fence post, the band legs having free ends pivoted to the yoke legs at points intermediate the yoke bight portion and the pivotal axes of the yoke legs. e

2. 'In combination, a fence having a fixed post and a horizontal element extending from one side thereof, a

swingable gate located at the opposite side of the fence 1,,

post, said gate having a post on its free end located close to the fence post, a U-shaped yoke having a bight portion and legs having free ends, said bight portion being positioned at and spaced from said one side of the fence post,

and the pivotal axes of the yoke legs, the legs of the band being at the outer sides of the yoke legs, and a bar fixed on the bight portion of the yoke and extending away from said one side of the "fence post, said bar having an up- 10 turned hook spaced from the yoke bight portion and ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 836,800 Bolstad Nov. 27, 1906 887,676 Malone May 12, 1908 912,333 Tschirley Feb."16,l1909 1,234,286 Chambers July 24, 1917 

